Chelsea will face Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, aiming for their third consecutive victory under new head coach Xabi Alonso. The Blues have kicked off the post-Liam Rosenior era with back-to-back wins against Fulham and Luton Town. Meanwhile, Brighton comes into the match with strong momentum, having secured two victories in their first three games and netting eight goals without conceding in both the Premier League and Conference League this season. Last season, Chelsea finished in 10th place in the Premier League, a year marked by the departure of two head coaches within a span of four months. Enzo Maresca left on New Year's Day after a breakdown in his relationship with the club's ownership, following a successful stint that included winning the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup. Rosenior, who joined from Strasbourg, took over but was dismissed after just three months on April 22 due to disappointing results, which left Chelsea without European competition for the first time since the 2022-23 season. Alonso, who departed Real Madrid in January after a challenging seven-month period, was appointed on a four-year deal starting July 1. He began his tenure with a thrilling 3-2 victory against Fulham, where Joao Pedro scored just 31 seconds into the match, marking the fastest goal in Premier League opening weekend history. Fulham managed to level the score twice through Josh King and Gonzalo Garcia, but debutant Morgan Rogers and a second-half goal from Cole Palmer ultimately secured the win for Chelsea. The Blues then continued their success with a 2-0 victory in the EFL Cup against Luton Town, where Danny Welbeck scored with a header in the 50th minute, followed by an own goal from Hakeem Odoffin to seal their progression to the third round.